I would like to switch off Q to Sah now, pending Surge coordinating with me.

The reasons for this are manifold, one being that Sah said nothing after the lynch on Q was secured, despite getting online briefly, whereas Q has maintained his posture to the end... though it's been curiously phlegmatic defence he's been mounting... DF's appearance seems less and less likely, and finally, having looked up Snake's lie detector role, it seems fairly analogous with the cop, meaning Sah is lying.

That being said, why have a godfather if there's no cop? Why have a miller? Nothing makes sense to me anymore - this is only my second game of mafia, and I'm certainly not qualified to be calling this one... hence my wavering voting patterns.

Nathaniel marched purposefully down the street. He knew what had to be done to rid his town of the disasters that had been plaguing it. The Leventhorpe's Lumber mill sat just outside of town, with their manor on the edge of the premises. The Lumber mill sat empty now, none of the workers felt motivated to actually come in once the deaths started.

He walked between large piles of logs which had been left out in the elements, cutting through the storage area to get to the house. He gulped nervously as he walked up the steps onto the porch and lifted the ornate knocker and hesitated. Since the station had burned down he had felt he had stopped being a policeman. The chief had disappeared and there was no contact with any other stations or any real back up with other officers. At this point Nate was more or less the only law in this town.

Absurdly, he was almost grateful there were some murdering psychos in town. If the regular townsfolk hadn't been so busy eyeing each other suspiciously and going out of their way to not appear suspicious themselves, typically by not breaking any laws, then a riot may have broken out days ago. It was funny, apart from the horrible murders, crime was at an all time low.

Nate chuckled wryly to himself at this and realized he was holding the knocker in his hand and just standing in front of the door. Feeling slightly foolish he rapped sharply on the door three times, his well-practiced police knock, and took a step back waiting. He heard light footsteps coming down the stairs and Isaac opened the door, a surprised smile on his face. "Officer Wardsworth, how are you? Oh, uhm, come in, come in!"

Nate nodded curtly at Isaac and stepped into the house. It was all polished wooden surfaces with rich purple carpets. The Foyer they stood in had a large curving staircase leading to the second floor and two sitting rooms to either side of the entrance with large picture windows overlooking the porch and further on the lumberyard. Isaac led Nathaniel to the sitting room to Nate's right and asked if he would like some tea. Nathaniel said he would and when Isaac went to prepare it Nate looked around the room.

The whole house had been built with lumber from the mill, which just made sense, but they must have hired a truly talented architect and some great carpenters to make this place. Every corner and door frame in the house had elaborate and symmetrical carvings in them and there were no harsh corners to be seen. Nate's eyes were drawn to the mantle, where a row of framed pictures stood.

The first was of Wallace Leventhorpe, Isaac's grandfather, standing proudly in front of the newly opened lumber mill. Kempswood as a town wouldn't even exist for another few years after this picture, but some of the other founders could be seen standing around him. The next picture showed Maxwell Leventhorpe, Isaac's father, with his three sons aged 8-13 standing before him. Nate looked closely at Mathias, remembering the incident at town hall a few days prior. Even as a child he had on unnerving self-assurance and a darkness behind his flat eyes. Nathaniel shivered and turned away from the pictures in time to see Isaac come back in with a tray.

"So, Mr. Leventhorpe, your brothers..." Nate began and ran out of steam. How do you discuss something like this? Your brother turned into some sort of monster which tried to consume the town, are you planning to do the same? Both brothers were some crazy killers, are you one too? He decided to take the diplomatic path. "I'm sorry for your loss."

Isaac sipped his tea calmly and set the cup down. "You know, I can sympathize with you a little. Neither of my brothers were exactly saints, and now you're here to see where I stand, yes? Well, I can assure you I'm nothing like my brothers. They were into some bad stuff, and while I was forced into it, it's not something I relish." He settled back in his chair and seemed to wait for his questions.

"Actually, I was here asking your help." Nathan told him. Isaac blinked in surprise at this. "You know the most about the stuff going on and you saved us from your brother when he... *Ahem* well, you know..." Nate trailed off awkwardly. He picked up his tea which he drained in one long go to cover his discomfort.

Isaac sat there for a moment in thought. After a time he spoke. "You know... this is dark stuff. If I look into it, it may be dangerous, I or others could be hurt." Nate nodded encouragingly. "Very well, I'll see what I can find about what's going on. And... thank you for trusting me." He stood up and offered his hand to shake, a small, shy smile on his face. Nate grinned and shook his hand warmly.

Isaac led him to the door and opened it for him. "If there's anything else you need, you have only to ask." He said, head bent down slightly in deference. Nate left the manor and for the first time since the station burned down felt optimistic. He took the steps of the porch two at a time and almost whistled a tune as he left the lumber mill and the manor behind him.

It was a short walk back to town through some woods, and as he walked the dirt trail he thought to himself. Did he really trust Isaac? He had been involved in some bad stuff, but it wasn't as if he himself had done any of it. Besides, he had stood up to Mathias when the town needed help the most. Nate remembered a few times he had met Mathias and felt a tingle run up his spine. Even without the dark powers he had amassed, Nate wouldn't want to oppose him.

If Isaac was on their side, they might be able to fix the town, put it back where it was, and there'd be no more deaths. Of course, once the danger was past crime might just shoot up again; He'd have to deputize a few more people. Hell, it was probably a good idea to start with that before things calmed back down so they'd be ready. Now who could he choose for the task?...

He was so caught up in his thoughts he failed to hear some people falling in to step behind him. Then there was a small circle of metal pressed to the back of his neck. "Hands up, and turn around." said a gruff voice. Nathaniel complied as slowly as he could manage, his mind working feverishly to find a way out, judging distances and calculating odds of survival. Not many were good.

When he turned around he saw Oliver Etchinghamm holding a gun, with a small gaggle of people behind him. "What's the meaning of this?!" demanded Nathaniel. A small trickle of sweat ran down his cheek. All the positive thoughts he'd had since leaving the Leventhorpe place had been forgotten in an instant. The town had become a place that didn't seem to allow optimism.

"We think," began Oliver in a officious voice, speaking for the group. "That you have been somewhat less than stellar in your duties Officer Wardsworth. You have let too much happen in this town, and some of us are starting to wonder why. We've decided to take care of this little problem. It's for the best really."

With that, he gave a pitying smile, and pulled the trigger. Nathaniel's last thought before the bullet stuck home was that he wouldn't be offering a deputation to Oliver after all. Then he fell.

Sahrimnir has been lynched! He was "Nathaniel Wardsworth" the cop, alignment townie!

Oliver Etchinghamm dragged himself home from the woods and into the quiet neighborhood he had moved into just a month ago, his shoulders slumped and head hanging. He'd put on a good show in front of the others but he had serious doubts about killing Nathaniel. With so much corruption in this town, and all of the recent violence, there's no way the last cop standing wasn't in on it, right? He HAD to be working with whoever was responsible for this to save his own skin.

But in those last moments, when the cop had looked him in the eyes, he wasn't so sure at all anymore. he might have wiped out the last good man in town over.... suspicion! Oliver punched a mailbox he was passing in a sudden rush of fury. Why did this have to be so complicated!? There were the bad guys in town, doing this stuff, and they only needed to find them and take them out! Why did they have to hide in shadows and turn everyone against each other?

...Even Beatrice. Oliver didn't really want to admit it to himself, but he was finding himself questioning her actions. What friends had she made in this town? What was she saying to them when he wasn't around? If she was a part of this... But no. She had moved here with him and neither of them had made any friends before this madness had started, certainly none after. At this point all they really had was each other.

As Oliver reached his street his pace quickened slightly and his eyes focused on his own house. He felt a nervous sort of energy go through him and broke into a trot, then a run. Something was wrong, the neighborhood was too quiet. When he reached his front door he saw the door frame had been cracked and the door swung inward freely in the wind. He felt a cold, leaden weight in his gut which contrasted with the white hot panic the rest of him was feeling. He rushed in yelling his wife's name in panic.

He found them in the bedroom standing before the queen-size bed. His wife was still dressed in her nightgown, eyes red from crying. She was being held above the ground by a familiar ribbon of dark energy looping around her waist. Slowly Oliver tracked the ribbon back to the darkly glowing form of Isaac Leventhorpe. He was also surprised to see that at some point he had pulled his gun free and was pointing it at Isaac.

"I wanted to thank you for getting rid of Officer Wardsworth for me." said Isaac, the voice coming from him was too... large. As if he were a mountain speaking through a man. The gun in Oliver's hand trembled from the force of the words alone, and Beatrice's eyes roved around the rove in blind panic. Oliver steeled himself for her sake as Isaac went on.

"It was a little difficult deciding how to reward you, you know. I couldn't let you go, you're needed along with all the other residents of this town. But I figured I could do you the favor of... cutting to the front of the line. Take it from me, you won't want to be around for the next part."

Oliver was crying now. At least he thought he was crying, the pressure on his head was so tight it might have been blood. "W-why?! The... town meeting..!" he managed to gasp out. This wasn't right, it wasn't what he had thought.

"Oh that? Mathias had simply overplayed his hand. The man was always too eager for power and when he made a play for the prize I had the perfect chance to better my own odds. If people thought I was on their side because I took down someone they didn't like, well, people will always think what they want, won't they?" Isaac spoke with a self-assured voice, confident in his own superiority.

It was that more than anything else that spurred Oliver to act. He threw himself towards Isaac and caught the monster off guard. Beatrice was dropped to the ground and the tendril which had held her moved in to intercept Oliver before he could reach Isaac. With a grace born of desperation Oliver leaped above the whip-like limb and crashed into Isaac hard. The two of them hit the bed and without wasting a second Oliver put the gun against Isaac's temple and pulled the trigger.

There was no sound, not even the click of an empty chamber. Oliver looked at the gun dumbly and saw what had happened. Another ribbon of dark energy, this one small and freshly grown from Isaac's back, had been trying to grab then gun. When he had pulled the trigger it had just managed to place itself between the hammer and the chamber. Oliver looked into Isaac's eyes and saw dark fury in them. Then small arm twisted and ripped the gun from his grip and threw it in the corner of the room.

"Well," said Isaac, "I'm afraid the nature of your 'reward' has been changed somewhat. Someone else has moved to the front of the line." Oliver felt something Icy cold wrap itself around his neck and left him from Isaac. His eyes darted to Beatrice and Isaac smiled that soft, shy smile he had worked so long to perfect.

"N-no! Leave her alo- ack!" The tendril tightened it's grip around his neck and Oliver clawed at it in futility. He then watched in horror as a large spear of dark energy seemed to appear in Isaac's hand. Beatrice lay in a bundle on the ground, too terrified to even move as Isaac approached her. With a quick sweeping gesture Isaac cut into her with his summoned weapon and laughed quietly.

Oliver felt the fight go out of him. Right now he was in shock, he knew, but Isaac was right when he had said he wouldn't want to be around for what came next. Without Beatrice he didn't want to be around full stop. He lifted his chin to left the tendril choking him get a better grip on his neck and just... let go. Isaac didn't notice it had happened until he was well and done with Beatrice. He tsk'd to himself in disappointment then shrugged and headed out the door. They were only the first after all, there would be more.

Catterick and Surgepox have been killed! They were "Oliver and Beatrice Etchinghamm" the lovers, alignment townie!

I'm pretty sure Q's our last villain. However, since DF has been ridiculously inactive, I'm all for ending the game this phase.

Vote: DF

_________________HG/SS Friends Code: 2364 8721 9695B/W Friends Code: 2193 7770 9554 X/Y Friends Code:1805-2682-3033"Foxes never lose their tricks, do they?" - Quaetman"We'll be going about our business one day and then someone will be like "hm, where's Barda" and Raya will all suspiciously be like "WELL DON'T LOOK AT ME"..." - Rocket Admin CamillaKing Avalanche:

There are powers that lurk in the deep. Powers and fearful things that are beyond our comprehension. With tentacles and goo and stuff like that. It's dangerous to go alone - take this.

Vote: DarkFalco

Going into last nightphase I had a choice - I knew that Surge<3Cats had to go, but from there it was a question of whether to convince DarkFalco to vote for you, Raya, or to reveal myself and go for the jointwin with you. Since you've been playing well as Survivor this game and it would be a total dick move to try to deprive you of a win now - let's do this together :B

After all - this is a cthulu themed game. Mafia winning and one Survivor walking away is probably the best thematic ending possible.

God damn it I almost killed you last night phase too Q. But I freaking believed you and didn't make a kill. Well raya I suppose it comes down to you for which side wins. Town or mafia? Obviously I vote: Q

I mentioned this to fed already but I feel bad about the inactivity. Shit kinda hit the fan between my uncle and a friend of the families parent dying last week, on top of work and moving :/ even still I had went back and read the last day phase to see if I should make a kill....shoulda known....

Well, that was some riveting dialogue there, real back and forth stuff. Going to have to cut you guys off mid-argument here and end the dayphase.

The Day, and the Game, is over! The Final Post will be a little while in coming, it's going to be the biggest yet.

EDIT:Okay, so I sort of passed out sometime last night while writing. I have work to get to now, and the rest of the day is filled up too. I'm afraid the last story post won't be up until later tonight.

Sorry for the wait and thanks for your patience. Maybe we should set up the next game while I try to knock the rest of this one out?